Netherlands

Bottle_of_Smoke wrote: »

Aye Mick OÇonnells in the centre I think would be most suitable, spacious, nice food too. Another place O'learys is a smaller place.

Perhaps Mid November?

Daddio wrote: »

Wow, did not realise there were a few boardsies in the Netherlands. I've been in Den Haag since the start of september, really enjoying it


Not speaking dutch makes it a bit more difficult to find a job, but the Netherlands is a very "international" country in terms of business, so you should still be able to find something without much difficulty if you have good experience.

Rowley Birkin QC wrote: »

I previously lived in Amsterdam but have applied for a few jobs in Veldhoven just outside Eindhoven this morning. Any of the Irish crowd here living in that direction?

Just wondering about rent, Irish community etc.?

Would it be in any way feasible to live in Amdam and work in Veldhoven? My girlfriend is still living and working in Amsterdam so that would be ideal but definitely not a pre-requisite to taking the position.

Cheers.

Alun wrote: »

OP .. I lived for 13 years in Veldoven. Plenty of rental opportunity in Veldhoven itself, or any of the surrounding areas. Depends on what you want really. If you want to live closer to Eindhoven that's easy enough or if you prefer a quieter more rural existence then there's plenty of smaller villages / towns to the south and west of Veldhoven.

As for commuting to Amsterdam, it's doable, but the traffic coming into the Amsterdam area, or any large conurbation in the Randstad in the mornings is horrendous. If you think the M50 is bad, you ain't seen nothing yet Train is a possibility, but you have to get to Eindhoven first .. I think there's a reasonable high speed bus lane into Eindhoven centre from Veldhoven now, but when I was there the only real option was car and there was little parking near the station.

Anyway, if you want any more info on the area, or want to chat about life in the Netherlands in general just drop me a PM. BTW is it ASML you're looking at working for?

EDIT: just noticed you meant living in Amsterdam and working in Veldhoven (not the other way round) .. that would be easier as you'd be going against the flow, but you'd still be looking at a good long commute.

Alun wrote: »

OK, didn't know Navteq were there now. ASML was always the biggest employer in Veldhoven when I was there, plus of course Philips and DAF in Eindhoven.

I think you're right not to consider commuting from Amsterdam. Like you say, Dutch roads and public transport are better than what we have here, but despite what people who only visit these places for day think, there are delays, cancellations, breakdowns, roadworks, traffic jams and general cock-ups quite regularly, just fewer of them, and the Dutch who are consummate whiners, complain about them just as much as we do. I commuted to Utrecht by train for a few months, and I'd say there was at least one delay a week, sometimes more. I also drove to further flung places regularly including a 3 months stint in Rotterdam, and that's something I'd never do again however much you paid me.

As far as comparing Eindhoven/Veldhoven to Dublin, well there's not really a comparison. Veldhoven is very quiet, and is largely a new 'constructed' town, built around 3 older village centres, Oerle, Zeelst and Veldhoven - Meerveldhoven. The 3 centres are still there, and there are a few pubs and cafes in those older areas, but the 'City Centrum' area of Veldhoven where the town hall etc. is all brand new. There's a pretty good shopping centre there for the everyday things though, we didn't have to venture into the 'big smoke' of Eindhoven too often for that reason. There's nothing in the way of night life there apart from a theatre / cinema in the town hall building.

Eindhoven is a little better, and there are a good few cafes and pubs, some decent ones in the market square with an 'authentic' Irish Pub not too far from there. There's also an area in Eindhoven called Stratumseind which is wall to wall pubs, mainly student oriented, but a bit too rowdy for my liking. Eindhoven itself is a bit soulless, with not much in the way of quaint architecture you might get in other older Dutch cities, mainly down to the centre having had the sh!t bombed out of it by the Germans in WWII, so is mostly rather boring post war in character.

There's some interesting enough countryside around (albeit flat as a pancacke) if you like walking, and of course cycling. We were avid cyclists when we lived there, and the area south of Veldhoven down towards Belgium is particularly nice, you can find yourself criss-crossing the border without even noticing.

All in all it depends what you want really. I like the quiet life, so living in Veldhoven suited me fine, but you might prefer living closer to or in Eindhoven if you're more of a night-owl.

Mechatronical wrote: »

Ya SIE. Are you working there yourself? Typically what price would the rent cost in Eindhoven for a month and is the commute to Veldhoven long or easy to get to using public transport.